Has the Nanny State gone too far?

I’ve been reading the story of Kerry Robertson and Mark McDougall, who are in the news today after Social Services in Ireland have taken their newborn baby boy, Ben, into care. Kerry and Mark ran away from Scotland in the middle of the night after being told that their baby would be taken into care at birth. Fife Social Services’ view was that Kerry’s disability meant that she was incapable of looking after a baby. This “disability” is reportedly mild learning difficulties.

Kerry and Mark thought that they had escaped that fate by fleeing to Ireland, but four days after Ben was born, Irish Social Services arrived at the hospital and took Ben away, acting on behalf of Fife Council. Kerry and Mark are now only able to see Ben for two hours every other day, under supervision. Kerry is particularly distressed as she wants Ben to be breastfed, to give him the best start – and as recommended by doctors.

Whatever your thoughts on intervention and Social Services, there is no denying that this is a heartbreaking case. Mark and Kerry are clearly devoted to their son and I cannot imagine the pain they must be going through knowing their son is with strangers rather than with them, no matter how caring and experienced those strangers are.

Obviously, Social Services should step in if there is any risk of harm to a child, and have been lambasted for their failures to do so in the past – those dreadful images of Baby P are seared on most people’s brains for life. But it seems a harsh judgement if people are not even allowed the chance to prove that they are capable of being good parents – after all, most brand new parents have the steepest of learning curves!

Surely in this sort of case, Social Services’ role should be to supervise, and to assist, as far as possible, rather than breaking up yet another family where the love for the child, if not yet the ability to fully care for him, doesn’t seem to be in question?

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